Now that you have implemented IBM Scale Out Network Attached Storage (IBM SONAS), you may be at the point where you are interested in Best Practices for daily administration and monitoring of the SONAS. There is a new draft available of the IBM SONAS Best Practices, SG24-8051.

This IBM Redbooks publication documents these Best Practices available for SONAS based on experience gained from actual implementations and daily administration.

This book is written at the SONAS V1.3.2 level. You may be asking yourself about SONAS V1.4. There is a project currently underway updating the book to the SONAS V1.4 level – the team is hard at work as I type. Expect to see a draft of this book at the SONAS 1.4 level, as well as the companion books SONAS Concepts, Architecture and Planning Guide, SG24-7963 and SONAS Implementation Guide, SG24-7962 in November.

As 2013 draws to a close and travel gets harder as 4Q rapidly approaches, I have decided to try something a little different (yes, yes, I know we have done it in the past but normally only after some on-site attendance has taken place) and I am going to consider/pilot remote participation for some applicants for my residencies until year end.

REMOTE PARTICIPATION: For especially well qualified candidates who are not able to participate on-site, and are familiar with, or willing to take a FrameMaker education session, and can demonstrate an ability to work remotely, we will accept applications. Clearly state this on the application.

Naturally we will not compromise our high standards from either a subject matter expert standpoint, nor from a writing standpoint. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate that they are SMEs (ie. they meet the stated requirements of the residency), attend FrameMaker education, and demonstrate that they can pass a "skills" test for FrameMaker.

The expectation is that you devote the same amount of time to the residency as if you were on-site (unless agreed otherwise) and take part in as many discussions as timezones allow.

This week I posted a new video for our IBM System Storage Tape Library Guide for Open Systems, SG24-5946. The video includes a segment showing a tape cartridge being transported across libraries in the TS3500 Shuttle Complex. The TS3500 Shuttle Complex can access over 300,000 tapes and is now supported by IBMs Tape System Library Manager (TSLM) and High Performance Storage System (HPSS). Here is a figure from the book of the TS3500 Shuttle Complex. Select the link above to the book abstract web page to watch the video.

I was reviewing my tape related blog postings and noticed that I needed to add an update for IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 with R3.0, SG24-8122. The TS7700 with R3.0 Draft was published several months ago and updated in July. There are extensive descriptions of setting up and using the TS3500 Tape Library in TS7700 configurations. Also, if you take the TS7700 3D tour there is a selection to see an animation showing TS3500 Tape Integration. Select the Show Tape integration button.